Andrew Shaw, a weather enthusiast from Stapleford, looks at a March which had a sting in the tail weather-wise

MARCH was another mild month, although it holds the distinction – for my garden at least – for having more frosts than either of the preceding winter months, and the coldest temperature of the winter too.

The month started with high pressure providing us with clear skies and some frosty nights in the first week.

In fact, the pressure reading of 1021mb recorded on the fifth might not sound particularly high, but it was the highest since December – which illustrates just how unsettled this winter has been.

The 9th was one of those rare days where not a single natural cloud could be seen all day, the only blotches on the skyscape being the odd persisting contrail from passing aircraft.

There was a fair amount of mist and fog in the middle of the month, which lifted to give some lovely ‘spring’ days.

The 22nd saw blustery showers deposit a covering of hail on local gardens in the Beeston area, with double rainbows and mammatus clouds seen; these are little ‘pouch-like’ clouds that extend downwards from cumulonimbus (thunderstorm) clouds.

But it was the very last day of the month which saw the first sign of a phenomenon which would dominate the weather into the first week of April, when the 31st saw reports of Saharan dust falling in the region.

A large wind storm in North Africa had blown dust from the Sahara over to the UK. This can happen several times a year but, combined with south-easterly winds, it made for difficult conditions for many people, especially those suffering from asthma. People with lung and heart conditions were told to avoid strenuous activity outdoors, while people suffering symptoms of pollution – sore eyes, coughs and sore throats – were told to cut down the amount they do outside.

By the end of this week air pollution levels were starting to fall, as the dust was being pushed eastwards over the North Sea.

April has started on a misty and murky note generally, and the long-term forecast suggests a showery month to come – but the weather models do not seem too confident on this, so we will just have to wait and see.